diff --git a/jupyterhub/alembic/versions/56cc5a70207e_token_tracking.py b/jupyterhub/alembic/versions/56cc5a70207e_token_tracking.py
index 9550ee89..3bba1c4c 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/alembic/versions/56cc5a70207e_token_tracking.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/alembic/versions/56cc5a70207e_token_tracking.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 def upgrade():
     tables = op.get_bind().engine.table_names()
+    op.add_column('users', sa.Column('created', sa.DateTime(), nullable=True))
     op.add_column('api_tokens', sa.Column('created', sa.DateTime(), nullable=True))
     op.add_column('api_tokens', sa.Column('last_activity', sa.DateTime(), nullable=True))
     op.add_column('api_tokens', sa.Column('note', sa.Unicode(length=1023), nullable=True))
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ def upgrade():
 def downgrade():
     op.drop_constraint(None, 'oauth_codes', type_='foreignkey')
     op.drop_constraint(None, 'oauth_access_tokens', type_='foreignkey')
+    op.add_column('users', 'created')
     op.drop_column('oauth_access_tokens', 'last_activity')
     op.drop_column('oauth_access_tokens', 'created')
     op.drop_column('api_tokens', 'note')
diff --git a/jupyterhub/orm.py b/jupyterhub/orm.py
index 70676c56..745ff637 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/orm.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/orm.py
@@ -134,7 +134,8 @@ class User(Base):
         return {s.name: s for s in self._orm_spawners}
 
     admin = Column(Boolean, default=False)
-    last_activity = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+    created = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+    last_activity = Column(DateTime, nullable=True)
 
     api_tokens = relationship("APIToken", backref="user")
     cookie_id = Column(Unicode(255), default=new_token, nullable=False, unique=True)
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ class Spawner(Base):
     state = Column(JSONDict)
     name = Column(Unicode(255))
 
-    last_activity = Column(DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow)
+    last_activity = Column(DateTime, nullable=True)
 
 
 class Service(Base):